The lovely Alison at Teavivre sent me a second batch of teas to test. I had so much fun with the first lot that I couldn’t believe I didn’t find time before now to try these.
As with my first review, please bare in mind the following is my layman explanation of these teas. You can view the Teavivre website for any health benefits, caffeine content, their origin and pricing etc.
First up was the Tie Guan Tin Oolong Tea (Anxi Monkey Picked Ma Liu Mie)
I loved how these leaves opened gently when I poured the water over them. The aroma reminded me of jasmine but softer and slightly sweeter and had a lovely light refreshing taste.
Second up was the Goddess Oolong Tea (Tie Guan Yin Iron)
This was quite similar in smell and taste to the first tea although I would have to say had a very slight bitter taste at first.
Then it was onto the Milk Oolong Tea (Taiwan Jin Xuan)
This tea has a slight grassy nose with a flavour which I would kin to black tea – I did not really pick up a milk aroma. Might have to try this one again.
Next up was the Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea (Taiwan Monkey Picked Ma Liu Mie)
The leaves of this tea didn’t seem as tightly packed as the others and had a beautiful smooth soft taste – I think this may be my favourite.
Finally it was the Wuyi Rock Oolong Tea (Da Hong Pao Big Red Robe)
The leaves of this tea were very different to the others and was the only one which had a slight brown tinge to it once brewed. It is regarded as the king of Oolong among all the Chinese Oolong Teas and one of the China’s Top Ten Teas.
I am not sure my palette is sophisticated enough for these teas but I thoroughly enjoyed doing my own little tea ritual all the same.
I was not remunerated or asked to do a review on these teas. I did a this post as a courtesy after receiving the tea.
Okay, I’ll have to ask – samp and beans? Is that good or bad? Now I’ve noticed the odor of kelp at Cape Cod beaches and I have to say I don’t think I’d want that in my tea. But what fun doing the taste test! Did you do it all at once or over time to let your taste buds recover?
Samp and beans are great! Not something I have made personally but something I have eaten often. The taste test was great fun. Just a pity the flavours weren’t what I really enjoy. I did it all on one day with a break in between each test – not sure how long to let the old taste buds recover though – don’t think it made too much of a difference. Have a wonderful day Diane. 🙂 xo
Oh how wonderful, you lucky thing, that looks so much better than the dusty (tasting) stuff we get in little bags here.. yum!.. c
It would have been much more fun doing a taste test with somebody C! I shall have to make a plan and send you some of our rooibos tea – I have just sent some to Kristy and family – hope it arrives soon. Have a beautiful day and happy farming. I will be over soon to catch up. 🙂 xoxo
I am a tea drinker too…but I drink mostly Oolong and Puer. Bi Luo Chun and Dragon Well are pretty good green tea.
These were quite different to any other tea I have tried before Angie. I don’t know all the teas you mention. I will have to see what is available here. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Good to “see” you, Mandy. I hope all’s well.
The only tea I drink is green tea and I’d no idea there were so many flavors. I need to see if Teavivre is available here. Thanks for the heads-up!
Hi John. Good to “see” you too! I think we should all start a tea exchange. I have recently send Kristy some rooibos. I shall put my thinking cap on when I have a few seconds spare and come up with a plan. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
Very interesting.
Mr. Liverpool is the tea drinker in this house.
I drink coffee/ w whip cream.
Love the photos, Mandy. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx KISS
Ooo, coffee with whipped cream – yes please! I bet Mr Liverpool and I would enjoy the same kinds of tea. I’m off to put the kettle on right away! Have a beautiful day Kim, love and hugs to you across the oceans. 🙂 xoxoxo
Very nice! Tea is another interesting area to learn, so thank you!
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
It is amazing to think there are so many different types of tea Julie. I would love a journey around the world in tea. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Did you do all the tasting at the same time or spread out over a number of days? Dragon well is my favorite green tea, not familiar with the others though.
Hi Norma, I did it all on the same day with breaks in between. I hope it didn’t interfere with my taste results. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
From your description of the results of each variety, I don’t think there was any interference.
Not sure I would be patient enough to do it over 5 separate days. 🙂 xo
Wow. I love Chinese tea. You lucky thing. I bet they were delicious. Emma xx
Hi Emma, must say these were very different to anything I have tried before. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Did you work with Alison? She is such a sweetheart. I love TeaVivre teas.
Hi Bam, nope, I have never met Alison – she sent me an email asking if I would like to try the teas. How lovely that you know her. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Interesting that they consider these ‘sweet’! Vegetal teas are quite fine in their ways, too, but if I were to drink tea *expecting* something sweeter or more floral and got, well, seaweed, it’d be quite a surprise to my tastebuds!!
xo,
K
Must say, they were all very surprising too my taste buds Kath. I am missing reading your wonderful posts. I will be over soon again! Have a wonderful love filled happy day. 🙂 xoxo
Fishy tea – hmmmm not sure about that one!
These really were different to what I was expecting, especially after reading their website. Have a super day Sally. 🙂 xo
I am so excited! They are sending me teas as well so after your fantastic review, I am even more eager to try them 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Brilliant! I can’t wait to hear what your thoughts are CCU! Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
Boom Diggity! Thats the best, how fantastic is it when goodies arrive for our sampling pleasure. BEST! 🙂 Organic Superfine Dragon Well Long Tin Green Tea… I’d go a cup of this for the name alone, however, not so sure about the green beans with potatoes that tasted like lentils tho… Sounds like veggie bake in a cup. 🙂
Have a fabulous Wednesday my lovely friend. Sending you a happy hug from Oz. Mwah. xoxo
Bwahaha – veggie bake in a cup sounds about right Anna. 🙂 Hope your Wednesday is equally as wonderful. 🙂 xoxoxo
the tea with the lentil and asparagus flavors. that is so interesting to me. I wonder if I would like it? I am not the biggest tea fan but I love trying new things
Belle, these were very different to any tea I have tasted before. I believe a few other bloggers have also been sent some Teavive tea, so I will be interested to see how they enjoy them. I prefer my good old fashioned black tea, which I enjoy with milk. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Had to do a quick google search to find out what ‘samp and beans’ is, but otherwise all of these sound pretty interesting. I actually kind of like a savory note in my tea.
Sorry for not putting an explanation with the samp and beans Mary. What a pity you aren’t closer so I could give you the balance of the samples tro try. Have a super weekend ahead. 🙂 xo
I’ve had some teavivre as well; although mine were more of their floral variety. I’m so looking forward to the tea you’ve sent. Has ours arrived to you yet? I’m not sure how long it will take. I’d say we sent it 2 weeks ago now. I hope you enjoy it. 🙂 Good luck on your projects! I too have been up to my eyeballs in projects these days. I do love checking things off the to do list though.
Hi Kristy, the floral variety of teavivre sound more like my “cup of tea”. 🙂 Oh no, so your tea hasn’t arrived yet – yours to me hasn’t either. I know we live far apart but this really is taking a long while. So excited to try your tea. Hope it arrives soon and that you get yours soon too. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂 xo
Ooh what fun. I don’t like reglar tea with milk, but love teas like this and herbal teas. I popped over as I thought you’d been quiet – I seem to have stopped getting your notifications 😦 Wo;; try to resubscribe and see if that helps!
Oh no, wonder what is going on with the subscriptions Tanya – so frustrating. I haven’t received a notification of your resubscribing. Hope we can get it sorted soon. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂 xo
I love your china bowls/cups. I’ve heard we should all be drinking more green tea because it’s meant to be very good for you xx
Thanks Charlie – I have a whole Chinese dinner service which I sadly don’t get to use very often. I am not sure I could drink green tea all the time. Have a super weekend. 🙂 xo
Mandy, how INTERESTING! What intriguing flavours you’ve detected – I understand exactly what you mean about finding them to be savoury, actually. Great review! xxx
Thanks Celia! Glad you enjoyed my understanding of the tea. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
Interesting and I ,too have been negligent about blogs, even my own. Go ahead and branch-out.
Hi Tonette, lovely of you to pop over. Seems life gets in the way of blogging sometimes. Hope you are well. 🙂 xo
I love Teavivre teas! Such pretty leaves.
Hi Caroline, they really do have pretty leaves. Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by. 🙂 xo
These teas sound pretty disgusting, samp and beans ugh!
Very different to what we know and drink. 🙂 xo
oww, it must be fantastic!!!
i love to discovering what the other side of my world drink…..
It’s great fun testing things from other countries Dedy. Hope you are well. 🙂 xo
i guess i can make a savoury broth using one of the gourmet tea above…
What a grand idea Dedy. Hope you are well. 🙂 xo
That is so cool Mandy. I’ve never seen tea like this before. I would try it!
What a pity you don’t live closer to me so I could bring around a few of the samples to try Tricia. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
I still haven’t opened the first lot. I just don’t drink enough tea!
It was great fun tasting them Tandy, although I don’t think my palette is sophisticated enough for these teas. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
This looks so cool! I love tea but I have never even heard about these types of teas before! Thanks for sharing, very interested now
I hope you can get hold of some Naomi. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
This is really cool Mandy. And sometimes, I think I’m the only one who thinks some teas might be too sophisticated for my palette. Now I’m so happy to know I’m not the only one who thinks like that :). Loved you ritual.
K / House of KTS (formerly of Pure & Complex)
http://www.houseofkts.com
Wouldn’t it be lovely if we could enjoy a cup of tea together one day. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
What a nice post! I love drinking tea especially oolong tea! One of my faves 🙂 xo Vivian
http://twoward.com
I too love my tea Vivian. Thanks so much for stopping by. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
What a fun thing to do!
It was great fun Misky. Hope you are well. 🙂 xo
Wow, this is a great tea review! You are a real tea connoisseur! Thanks for sharing.
You are very kind Cecilia. Have a great day. 🙂 xo
Lucky you! These teas sounds idle for me! I am a cafe latte drinker but a serious tea drinker! 😉
Loved this cool post!
It is great fun doing a degustation with teas I don’t get here at home. Have a great day Shophie. 🙂 xo
xxx
Wawhoo… love a good tea review, specially when they are fancy brews like these. As ya know, Im not a huge tea drinker, would rather a cuppa coffee, but my bro would dig all of these, turns out he has become a health nut since his baby arrived.
Hope you are well my friend. Big virtual hugs and all the loves across the pond. xo
I still prefer my good old fashioned black tea to be quite frank. Having an awesome and happy day as my Pete is home. Hope you have a fantastic weekend ahead hon. 🙂 xoxoxo